A Stranger in the Shadows
by draculamomma
Summary: Dracula is brought back to earth after he is defeated by Anna and Van Helsing. Only problem is he is faced with living in another century, and has troubles adjusting to everything around himself.


A Stranger in the Shadows

**A Stranger in the Shadows**

**A Van Helsing Fanfic**

**Author's Note: Hello dear readers and fans, I have decided to take on a new challenge, and write more stories for Van Helsing rather than A Nightmare on Elm Street. If any of you wish to read anymore of my stories, just visit my page. Thanks a whole bunch, feel free to review when you are finished reading if you want. Draculamomma. **

**Plot: This story takes place in the present day, many years after Van Helsing is dead. Dracula's soul is in hell, but he makes another deal with the devil and is set free upon earth again. The deal only has one loose end; Dracula has to merge as safely as he can among the people of the new century he has entered, so as a means of keeping his identity a secret, he decides to hide out in a Public High School, where he meets a very strange woman who has plenty of her own dark secrets.**

**&**

**He was not able to cope with the pain and suffering anymore. He had lost everything he had ever loved. He had lost his beautiful brides Verona, Aleera, and Marishka. He had even lost Anna. Not that he cared for her. Dracula winced in pain at all the memories he had. He'd give anything to relive all his moments once more.**

**He had once been a very powerful man. Or monster as other people often said. He was a vampire after all. He had made a deal with the devil, and had received all his powers from then on. By drinking the blood of others, he grew stronger. He had actually felt important when he was a vampire. **

**He felt seductive, sexy, and confident. Now that was all taken away from him. He growled deep within his throat, remembering everything. **

"**One more sigh like that and I'll banish you forever from here." The devil warned Dracula. The devil was sitting in the position he was always in, every since Dracula had been sent down to hell years ago. The devil was securely rooted onto a lifeless thing that most represented something of a log, except it had millions of other souls attached to it, and ran all the way along the strange abyss Dracula was in.**

**The roots of the log were moving in and out of the blood red soil of the ground. Worms and maggots seemed to slither in every direction as the log moved. The devil was covered in little branches and tree leaves from the log. He shook his head, but none of the leaves ever came down.**

**Dracula glared at the devil. "What do you mean by that?"**

**The devil spat a long flow of dark grey mucus, but it missed Dracula by a mile. Once the mucus hit the ground, it shrivelled up and turned into more worms and dirt. **

"**I'm not the one having such a hell of a time either." The devil didn't even bother to laugh at Dracula's joke. **

"**Be glad I did not fasten you to this unholy thing. Or you would be just like the other vermin that move within me." The devil snapped. **

"**I am not glad at all! I had everything taken away from me! You saw it with your very own eyes! I had my youth, my love, and my children! How heartless can you be to deny me my own children?" Dracula wined even louder. **

**The devil extended his long orange talons, and wrapped them around Dracula's throat. "And what would you have me do? Send you back to earth?"**

**Dracula coughed and struggled for air. "Yes! Damn it yes!"**

"**You think it may be so simple." The devil dropped Dracula back onto the ground.**

**Dracula frowned. "It is, for me."**

**The devil gave Dracula an odd look. "So be it Dracula. I will send you back to your beloved world."**

"**What?" Dracula couldn't believe his ears.**

"**Unless of course, you have changed your mind." The devil hissed, moulding his body furthermore into the log, making it seem like he had no body at all. **

"**No! Please! I wish to go back! I really do!" Dracula begged.**

"**Fine." The devil spat. With one large effort, the devil spread forth one of the branches of the tree like thing he was rooted on, and knocked Dracula backwards hard. Dracula screamed as he felt himself being pushed out of hell. His eyes went blurry, and he wasn't able to see his own hands in front of his face. **

**He went swirling through shades of black, red, purple, and green. Finally, he felt a pain on his lower back, as if it was about to snap in half.**

**Dracula let out another cough. He closed his eyes tiredly. When he opened them in what seemed like years later, he saw unimaginable things before his eyes.**

**&**

**Dracula turned over on his side to see a long stick like mechanism with two large circular black things. One circle was at the front of the mechanism, the other at the end. The mechanism was safely secured to a metal rod, which lay on the ground he was lying on.**

**He jumped up immediately, despite his pain. He felt his fangs ache. He needed to feed soon. He heard an odd sound behind him, and he whipped around to see something white with red and blue lights flashing above it. The noise was then unbearable.**

**Dracula covered his ears painfully, as the red and blue lights flashed, and the white thing flew past him. What was wrong with the world? Now he felt scared! Before, everyone and everything in his land feared him and his brides! But now he was afraid of blue and red lights!**

**Dracula ran forward in the direction of the noise. Whatever it was, he was going to face it, and teach it that he was Count Dracula, and was not afraid of anything. As he sped up, he noticed the thing was getting smaller and smaller as it made its way down a long path of grey pavement.**

**It was running from him! Dracula smiled. He knew nothing was going to overpower him. Not now at least. He turned to his left, and saw a few people walking towards him.**

"**Food!" He cried. As the people drew closer, Dracula noticed something strange. One of the people, a boy, had long black hair, like himself, but it was spiked up, and placed at the top of his head. The boy also had a dozen silver things in his skin, just hanging there. **

**Dracula couldn't help but stare. As the boy drew closer to him, Dracula pointed at the largest silver thing hanging in the boy's chin. "What is that?" Dracula asked.**

**The boy laughed and gave Dracula a dirty look. "What do you think it is man? Where the fuck did you crawl from? A rock?" He laughed along with his friends and they pushed past Dracula rudely.**

**Dracula felt his mouth drop open ten feet. "What did you say?" He yelled back at the boy. But the boy and his friends had crossed the street and were walking away from Dracula.**

**Dracula wanted to fly after them and eat them alive, but he felt really weak. Flying would have to wait for another time.**

**A woman and her child were walking in front of Dracula when he turned to his right. The little girl was no older than ten. Dracula gave her a puzzled look. She was certainly not dressed like the little girls back in his time! She had on bright pink pants, and a white shirt. She smiled at Dracula. **

"**Mister why are you dressed funny?" She asked, her voice squeaking like a rat in Dracula's ears.**

**Dracula scoffed. "Me? Dressed funny?" He asked back.**

**The mother of the little girl pinched her arm gently. "Sweetie I told you not to talk to strangers." They kept walking.**

"**Me? A stranger? Do you even know who I am? I am the great Count Dracula!" Dracula yelled with all his might. A few people in the street stared and laughed. Others shook their heads and kept walking.**

"**I've never seen such disrespect in my whole entire afterlife!" Dracula screamed. He turned right and began waling as fast as he could. He bumped into a man with odd eyes.**

"**Dracula!" The man whispered.**

**Before Dracula could say anymore, the man pushed Dracula into a little alley between connecting apartments.**

"**Who are you sir? How do you know me?" Dracula barked at the man.**

"**Shut up imbecile! It's me!" Dracula recognized the devil's voice.**

"**Why are you following me?" Dracula demanded harshly.**

"**You are making a complete fool out of yourself. Haven't you noticed anything new already?" The devil yelled.**

**Dracula cocked an eyebrow. "Try to be more specific."**

**The devil grinned, revealing rotten teeth. "Ah, so I see you have already encountered a few complications."**

**Dracula growled under his breath. **

"**You cannot simply just waltz into the streets telling everyone who you really are! If you do you will be locked up in the nearest Insane Asylum before you can even take back your words!" The devil slapped Dracula across the head lightly.**

**Dracula sighed again. "So what do you propose I do?" He asked, crossing his arms tightly over his long black old fashioned trench coat.**

**The devil eyed Dracula's clothes. "First things first. You have to get rid of those clothes."**

**Dracula's eyes widened in shock. "What? No! No way! These are my only recollections from my past! How dare you!"**

**The devil shook his head. "That's the way things are. Look at the people, they are not dressed of your time. They will mock you if you do not fit in with them."**

"**Fine! How about you help me get started and give me what you think these people are accustomed to wearing in this day and age!" Dracula suggested, rolling his eyes with anger.**

"**I'm afraid I cannot do that so easily." The devil rejected.**

**Dracula shook his head. "No you must!"**

"**No! I will not! This is what shall come from your silly request to be brought back again! You will learn how to live on your own, and adapt to those around you as well without attracting attention to yourself! Now that is final!" With that last order, the devil disappeared out of the old man's clothes, dropping them to ashes on the ground.**

**&**

**Dark had come before Dracula had a chance to meet anyone willing to help it. Inside, he felt completely foolish. He was Vlad Drakul! He didn't need anyone's help! He was forever immortal! What was he doing asking commoners for assistance? He knew he had no other choice, but Dracula still occasionally lashed out at the odd cat or dog passing him by on the streets.**

**He was trying to read the names of apartments and buildings, when he felt a hard tug of his coat. He looked down at whoever had dared to interrupt him, and nearly cried out in shock when he saw a middle aged homeless woman. Her faced was dirty and tears were running down her cheeks.**

"**I am sorry to bother you sir, but do you have any change?" She asked in a tiny voice.**

**Dracula cocked his head. "You mean money?"**

"**Yes sir." She nodded. **

**Dracula eyed her closely. "How much money do you have on you right now?" He asked gently. He bent down slowly, until he was eye level with her.**

"**Barely enough to rent myself a room in the Hotel over there." She pointed to a large brown building in front of them. Dracula grimaced in pain and disappointment. The building looked like it had been inhabited by savages. The bricks were nearly all off in chips and pieces, and the windows were stained with pigeon droppings. **

"**There?" He asked again, just to be sure. Before, Castle Dracula had been the best estate he had lived in. Now he was reduced to something as horrid as this? Dracula could not believe his luck.**

"**So be it." He finished. Before the woman could answer him back, Dracula sunk his fangs deeply inside her neck, and drank all he could for his night's rest. She coughed and wailed and tried to get free, but he held her tightly by her shirt collar. **

**When he was finished, he dropped her body gently to the ground, making it look like she was sleeping. He searched her coat pockets and pants for money. Altogether, he found a few thick bundles of green papers. **

**He held it up to his nose, and sniffed at the bundle. "Is this money?" He wondered.**

**He wiped his mouth and lips as carefully and cleanly as he could, getting all the blood off his chin and cape. He walked until he was at the doors of the Hotel. He walked inside, and was faced with a large man right away. **

**The man gave Dracula the weirdest look he could muster. The man himself was dressed in a white over shirt, and had navy blue overalls on. He looked something of a circus clown in front of Dracula.**

"**I need a place to spend the night." Dracula said loudly.**

**The man snickered. "I'd say, you look like shit."**

**Dracula ignored the statement. "Do you have a place available?"**

**The man didn't bother answering, he wake down a long hall way, and Dracula followed.**

**They walked until the reached the second last room on the right hand side of the hall way. The man took out a set of keys, and handed one to Dracula.**

"**This is the key to the door." He announced gruffly. **

**Dracula looked at the key in puzzlement. "How does it work?" He asked.**

**The man sniffed. "Great, I work like a slave seven days a week, and get paid shit and I can't even afford a decent meal for myself, and now I gotta deal with a crack head who doesn't know how to work a key?" **

"**Just show me how it works!" Dracula roared. **

"**Yeah, yeah." The man shoved the key in the lock, and twisted it to the left, and the door opened. **

**Dracula peered inside the room, and walked in slowly. The man handed him the key back, and slammed the door after him. Dracula wrinkled his nose at the strange smells in the room.**

"**This place is a pig sty!" He hissed.**

**In every way, it was. The room had ugly pink wall paper with cream coloured swirls and diamonds patterning the paper. Stains were all over the walls, and in some places the walls were scorched in brown and black.**

**As he walked to the bathroom, he nearly threw up. The toilet seat was halfway off the toilet, and the water inside was a murky yellow. Little flies flew out of the toilet, and circled Dracula's head. He swatted them away and closed the bathroom door.**

"**Disgusting!" He yelled. **

**No sooner had he said this, when he heard a pounding on one of his walls. **

"**Shut up!" A man's deep voice called.**

**Dracula sighed, letting his shoulders droop. "Even the walls here have ears."**

**&**


End file.
